Survival of the luckiest? New study hints at the potential role of luck in evolution
A new study on mice shows that luck in early life can determine success as an adult, especially when competition is high.
evolution
A 50 thousand year-old love story between humans and Neanderthals
Tens of thousands of years ago, modern humans mated with Neanderthals. But exactly how and when that happened, and who those groups of humans were, was less known. New research adds some clues.
Researchers have found an amphibian that makes milk for its babies
The snake-like amphibian is native to Brazil. Researchers say the milk in many ways resembles that produced by mammals.
This fossil of a mammal biting a dinosaur captures a death battle's final moments
A 125-million-year-old fossil from the early Cretaceous shows the skeletons of a smaller mammal biting a larger horned dinosaur, suggesting a much more complex ancient food web.
Welcome to the mammalverse: Scientists sequence DNA from 240 species around the world
Researchers have examined the genomes of 240 mammal species. The project reveals when mammals evolved, how some developed the ability to hibernate, and clues that may help explain humans' brains.
Can insects have culture? Puzzle-solving bumblebees show it's possible
A new study in PLOS Biology finds that bumblebees can learn to solve puzzles from each other — suggesting that even invertebrate animals may have a capacity for culture.
Dozens of species were assumed to be mute — until they were recorded making sounds
Some animals like birds and frogs are famous for the sounds they make. But have you ever heard a turtle talk? Most turtles were thought to not make sounds at all — before researchers went deep.
How A Building Block Of Life Got Created In A Flash
Lightning strikes may have supplied a key ingredient that allowed life to emerge on early Earth, according to a new study of "fossilized" lightning.
Western Individualism May Have Roots In The Medieval Church's Obsession With Incest
Researchers combed Vatican archives to find records of how ancient church policies restricting whom one could marry shaped Western values and family structures today.
Why Octopuses Might Be The Next Lab Rats
Move over, fruit flies, rats and zebrafish. Squid and octopuses have elaborate brains and behaviors, and scientists say studying them in the laboratory could yield important biological insights.